Cyber attacks are growing in complexity and nature. This is evident from the 2023 Hybrid Security Trends Report by Netwrix.
The report reveals that 68% of organizations have suffered cyber attacks in the past twelve months.
One of the most notorious cyber threats is phishing, which accounts for over 4.76 million losses per breach. If not taken care of, such losses eventually cripple the organization, halting business continuity.
Some cybersecurity measures that organizations take include purchasing a cyber insurance policy and improving their privileged access management (PAM) policies.
However, owing to the growing complexity of cyberattacks, most organizations invest in automated threat identification and mitigation software. With this software, they can identify and mitigate threats in real-time, thus eliminating the dire costs of an attack.
Antivirus software is one such threat identification and mitigation tool that businesses invest in. But given the multitude of these tools in the market, the need arises to understand the best of them all.
To help you make that choice, we highlight the best antivirus software for businesses. The goal is to help you make an informed decision when choosing an antivirus software.
Also Read: A New Threat Known as Quishing is on the Rise
The best antivirus software for businesses
We analyzed the best antivirus software based on the problems they solve and their unique features, highlighting what they are best suited for.
Additionally, we identified the advantages and disadvantages of each antivirus software based on design and user reviews. A summary pricing plan for each software is also available for your perusal.
So, what are the best antivirus software that you can consider for your organization? Let’s go.
1. McAfee Total Protection
Best for scalability needs
McAfee Total Protection is an award-winning anti-virus software that offers password management, Wi-Fi security, firewall protection, and PC optimization.
This antivirus also offers additional features, including VPN protection, file shredder, and PC cleaner, as an additional layer of security. McAfee supports protection for both on-premise and cloud-based applications.
Key features
- Advanced monitoring: The solution detects, quarantines, and removes any threats in applications and files.
- Automated data privacy: The solution automatically turns on a VPN connection for unsafe networks.
- Personal data cleanup: McAfee identifies and automatically removes sensitive organizational data from broker sites
Advantages
- Flexibility: The software lets you do a full, quick, or custom scan to eliminate malware and related threats whenever convenient.
- Centralized management: You can manage all the incidents and analyses from different end-points on a centralized console.
- Scalability: Whether yours is a small business or enterprise level organization, the software allows you to specify the number of endpoints or devices to monitor.
Disadvantage
Various users have reported that McAfee is resource-intensive, especially on older and less powerful hardware.
Pricing
McAfee's pricing plan includes a free trial and a paid subscription. The paid subscription includes Essential, Premium, and Advanced packages, which vary in the scope of services provided and the number of devices to monitor.
Also Read: Top Penetration Testing Tools
2. Total Defense
Best for essential protection
Total Defense Antivirus is designed to protect Windows desktops and laptops from trojans, ransomware, and malware.
Key features
- Anti-malware protection: Effectively protects companies’ sensitive data against malware, spyware, viruses, and ransomware.
- Ransomware protection: Utilizes Advanced Threat Protection guards to offer reliable ransomware protection.
- Mobile security: Blocks intruders, fends off malware, and erases phone data if the phone is lost.
Advantages
- 60-day money-back guarantee: You can cancel your subscription within 60 days of purchase if you are no longer interested.
- 100% virus-free guarantee: The solution guarantees 100% protection against viruses.
- Free US tech support: Free customer care and technical support.
Disadvantage
Most users report that the solution offers nothing more than a free antivirus.
Pricing
Total Defense business pricing plan includes a free 30-day trial and a paid option. The paid option entails Essential Antivirus, Total Defense Premium, and Total Dense Ultimate Security packages billed per number of devices per year.
Also Read: Chatbot Prompt Injection
3. Bitdefender Gravityzone
Best for advanced Malware protection
Bitdefender Gravityzone is a multi-layered antivirus software designed to protect networked devices, servers, virtual machines and networks against cyber attacks.
It monitors the network to detect suspicious activities and provides multiple intelligent tools to protect against threats.
Key features
- Antimalware protection: Bitdefender’s B-HAVE tool analyzes behavioral patterns and executes suspicious files in a secure environment to establish effects, identify and contain potential malware.
- Advanced Anti-Exploit: The solution safeguards frequently used applications, including Microsoft Office and browsers. It protects against unauthorized access, process hijacking, and memory corruption vulnerabilities.
- Network Attack Defense: The solution identifies and contains network attacks, including bruteforce, drive-by-download infection, password stealers, bots, and trojans.
Advantages
- Centralized management: You can view all your security management components via the integrated Gravityzone Control Center.
- Endpoint Risk Management: Gravityzone’s infrastructure hardens endpoint surface area and reduces exposure by determining and prioritizing high-risk OS and application misconfigurations.
- Advanced ransomware prevention: The solution automatically recovers local and cloud files and applications through tamperproof backups.
Disadvantage
Additional customization may be required to adapt the solution to specific business needs.
Pricing
Gravityzone pricing plan includes a free trial and a paid option. Billing for the paid option is based on the number of devices you want to protect.
Also Read: What is Red Teaming?
4. ESET Protect
Best for malware prevention
ESET Protect is an antivirus and spyware protection software designed to protect cloud applications, email, and endpoints. It provides spam filtering, anti-phishing, malware scanning, and proactive threat defense.
Key features
- Endpoint Antivirus: Provides anti-spyware and antivirus protection for endpoints on Windows and Mac. It also has an ant-phishing engine for username and password protection.
- Mobile security: Provides real-time protection for all files and applications with the help of the ESET NOD32 Proactive technology.
Advantages
- Easy to manage: You can easily set up, configure, and manage security services remotely via a single console.
- Lightweight solution: The solution is designed to optimize performance with minimal impact on resource utilization.
- Remote management: Admins can monitor, configure, and update security updates remotely.
Disadvantage
Many customers report that ESET Protect’s pricing plan is complex since it’s a mix and match, which makes it difficult to quantify ROI.
Pricing
In terms of pricing, ESET offers a 30-day free license trial and a paid option. The paid option includes Essential, Advanced, and Premium subscription packages, which differ in the number of devices and features.
Also Read: Shift-Left Security
5. Avira Prime
Best for small businesses
Avira Prime is an antivirus software that protects organizational data and devices from threats, including phishing, malware, and infected websites.
Key features
- Password management: The solution keeps a secure account of all business passwords.
- Secure browsing: Blocks browser trackers, intrusive ads, and infected websites.
- Financial protection: Safeguards business data and devices from threats including malicious email attachments and phishing attacks.
Advantages
- Unlimited VPN: Provides a secure connection to the internet, safeguarding organization data.
- 60-day money-back guarantee: You can cancel your subscription within 60 days of your billing if you are no longer interested in the solution.
- Software updates and patch management: The solution automatically updates your apps to apply the recent security patches.
Disadvantage
The solution is incompatible with the Windows server.
Pricing
Avira Prime’s pricing plan includes a paid monthly or annual subscription based on the number of devices you want to monitor.
Also Read: Vulnerability Management Metrics
6. Malwarebytes
Best for Malware protection
Malwarebytes is a minimalistic anti-malware designed to offer phishing detection, zero-day malware, and ransomware protection.
It’s an all-in-one solution that provides multiple layers of protection, human expertise, and threat intelligence.
Key features
- Multi-vector protection: Combines traditional antivirus, anti-malware, anti-exploit, anti-ransomware, and other behavioral-based technologies to cater to various threats simultaneously.
- Advanced remediation: The solution quickly rolls back files and applications to the pre-incident state in case of a ransomware attack.
- Endpoint isolation: The solution separates affected endpoints from the rest until they recover, preventing further spread.
Advantages
- Minimal system impact: Offers up to 50% cut in resource usage.
- Free service: Offers free PC scan and virus containment, browser protection, and protection against other threats, including adware.
- Signature-less behavioral detection: Malwarebytes Katana Engine analyzes program behavior to detect and remediate any malware that may bypass other antivirus protection.
Disadvantage
The solution offers limited network firewall protection compared to other antivirus software.
Pricing
The pricing for Malwarebytes includes a free service and a paid option. The paid option includes two packages: Endpoint Protection and Endpoint Detection and Response. The packages are billed per device per month and vary in the scope of services included.
Also Read: What is Endpoint Security?
7. AVG Antivirus Business Edition
Best for email security
AVG antivirus is an online antivirus designed to secure organizational networks against the newest malware, viruses, and ransomware.
This antivirus software leverages the power of AI Detection and Real-Time Outbreak Detection.
Key features
- Antivirus and firewall: Scans network-connected applications and files for malware and ransomware.
- Business antivirus: Utilizes Proactive AI Detection and Real-Time Outbreak Detection to protect against current and evolving threats.
- File server security: Protects employee and customer data privacy plus confidentiality.
Advantages
- Email security: Checks incoming and outgoing emails for any malicious links or files, scans downloaded files, and securely deletes dangerous files. All this is achieved through the help of email shield, file shield, and data shredder. Also read: Types of Email Attacks
- Remote control: Allows admins to remotely install, configure, update, and manage AVG security solutions.
- 30-day money-back guarantee: You can cancel your subscription within 30 days after purchase if you no longer wish to continue.
Disadvantage
Only supports Windows devices.
Pricing
They offer a paid yearly subscription, billed per device.
Also Read: Attack Surface Management Explained
8. Norton Small Business
Best for small businesses
Norton Small Business is a scalable antivirus service designed to protect on-premise tablets, computers, laptops, and smartphones for small businesses.
This is an all-in-one solution that provides password management, secure browsing, VPN protection, and day-to-day online protection.
Key Features
- Cloud backup: Provides cloud-based backup and storage solutions to safeguard business data.
- Multi-platform management: Allows management of multiple devices and endpoints from a centralized console.
- Secure Internet connection: Allows employees to connect securely through a Virtual Private Network.
Advantages
- 60-day money-back guarantee: You can apply for a refund 60 days after you have been billed.
- 100% virus protection promise: Norton offers guaranteed protection for all connected devices.
- 24/7 customer support: Most users acknowledge the excellent customer support that Norton's team provides.
Disadvantage
Norton offers no endpoint protection.
Pricing
In terms of pricing, Norton offers a free trial and a paid option. The paid option includes a monthly and annual subscription.
Also Read: Zero Click Attacks
9. VIPRE
Best for email security
VIPRE is an award-winning cloud-based solution designed to offer protection against zero-day exploits, phishing, rootkits, spyware, and malware.
Key features
- Advanced email security: Integrates with Microsoft 365 to identify and remove malicious emails from a user’s email.
- SafeSend: Prevents sensitive emails from being sent to unauthorized persons by confirming Outlook email recipients and scanning emails for sensitive data.
- Link isolation: Utilizes advanced sandboxing to neutralize malicious URLs and their destination pages.
Advantages
- User-friendly: Very easy to set up and configure.
- Advanced malware protection: Detects and mitigates various variants of malware programs.
- Resource efficiency: Provides adequate protection yet has a low impact on system resources.
Disadvantage
Most users have reported that the solution sends too many false positives.
Pricing
VIPRE pricing comprises a free trial and three paid options (Core Defense, Edge Defense, Complete Defense). These options are billed per user per year.
Also Read: Cyber Attack Vectors
10. Sophos Antivirus
Best for Ransomware protection
Sophos Antivirus is designed to offer extended detection and response (XDR), deep learning malware detection, ransomware, and exploit prevention.
Key features
- Adaptive attack protection: Prevents a “hands-on-keyboard” attack by reducing and containing the attack surface, hence preventing the attacker from taking further actions.
- Anti-exploitation: Protects against Zero-day exploits and fileless attacks through preconfigured exploit mitigation.
- Web protection: Utilizes real-time threat intelligence to block attacks.
Advantages
- SophosLab intelligence: The real-time threat intelligence provided by SophosLabs allows detection and remediation of current and future threats.
- End-to-end virus protection: The solution leverages root cause analysis, anti-ransomware, anti-malware, and threat hunting for comprehensive protection.
- Integration with EDR: Seamlessly integrates with Sophos Intercept X for effective investigation and incident response.
Disadvantage
Most users find the solution complex to set up and configure.
Pricing
Pricing includes a free trial and paid license option for advanced security (Intercept X Advanced, Intercept X Advanced with XDR)
Also Read: Dark Web Threats
11. Avast Business
Best for remote management
Avast Business Antivirus is an award-winning platform designed to offer remote control over potential cybersecurity threats within small business environments.
It provides automatic IMAP, POP3, and NNTP scans to identify malware, spam, and phishing threats.
Key features
- Remote management: Administrators can remotely access, monitor, and manage the security of connected devices.
- Firewall and email security: Protects against phishing and network attacks through firewall filtering and email scanning.
- Advanced threat detection: The solution provides password security to protect employee passwords, unlimited VPN protection, and USB security.
Advantages
- Scalability: You can start with a plan that suits your business needs and add more devices as your business grows.
- Flexibility: You can manage the security of your devices and endpoints from anywhere in the world.
- Automated updates: The solution automatically performs patch management and system updates.
Disadvantage
Most users find the pricing too high for small to medium-sized businesses.
Pricing
The pricing for Avast Business includes a 30-day free trial and a paid option. The paid option entails three packages (Essential, Premium, and Ultimate Business Security packages). These are billed per device per year, based on the type of security service offering.
Conclusion
Choosing the right antivirus software begins with identifying business needs. Small to medium-sized businesses with a few endpoints and devices to monitor can opt for a cheaper yet scalable solution.
On the other hand, enterprise businesses with existing solutions can consider dedicated antivirus solutions that complement the existing solutions.
In terms of pricing plans, subscription-based solutions generally offer greater flexibility; you can experiment and see what works well for your business.
When experimenting, please consider solutions that offer a money-back guarantee. You can terminate the subscription in case you’re not keen to continue using the solution.
In a nutshell, there’s definitely a solution out here that fits your antivirus needs, and we hope this guide helps you make an informed decision.
